GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, MI – The upcoming Beach Boys concert at Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Ave, NE, is another sold-out show in a storied 50-plus year history of maximum capacity crowds for the band.

The musical genius of Brian Wilson and writing of Mike Love are a big part of why the band’s songs have stood the test of time and placed the group in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Add Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks for the harmonies and you can almost hear the music as waves crash in on the beach.

Two of the original band members will be at this concert: Led by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston, the band is also comprised of Christian Love, Randell Kirsch, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill and Scott Totten, who help continue the legacy of the iconic band.

If you dissect the Beach Boys vast collection of tunes into categories, it can almost completely be encapsulated by four categories: surfing, sun, cars and girls.

Surfing
There may not be another band so closely associated with a sport. Surfing and the Beach Boys are inseparable. Their debut single in 1961 was simply called “Surfin’.”

From “Surf City USA” to “Surfer Girl” to “Surfin’ Safari,” the Beach Boys love to sing about the many ways to “Catch A Wave.”

Sun
Just saying the band’s name brings to mind a sunny day and its music spoke directly to that feeling.

The lyrics in the song “Sunshine” say “She can make my whole world bright. She brings out the sun at night. She's my sunshine.”

“The Warmth of the Sun” might not be the first song that comes to mind when you think of the Beach Boys but it’s one of the rare times the band strikes a melancholy mood and sings about heartbreak.

And “Kokomo” is a travel guide’s dream list of every destination sun lovers would like to visit. The song, panned by Beach Boys purists, is a bona fide ear worm and who can forget John Stamos playing the drums in the music video?

Cars
Love was once quoted as saying, "We figured not everybody had an ocean, but everybody could relate to cars.” He was right — as songs such as “Little Deuce Coupe” became mainstays in the Beach Boys' repertoire.

It would take some digging to find another pop song with a title describing the cubic inches of a Chevrolet’s engine: “409” may be the only one around.

Those who listened to the B-side of “Surfin’ USA” in 1963 were treated to the song "Shut Down" – an ode to drag racing.

Girls
The list of titles for this common rock 'n' roll topic could get lengthy so I’ll just mention a few you’ll instantly recognize. “Surfer Girl,” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “California Girls” are standard sing-alongs for most fans.

But we shouldn’t leave out “I Get Around” or “Barbara Ann” when discussing the Beach Boys singing about the fairer sex.

The Beach Boys will bring their good vibrations to West Michigan on Thursday, Aug. 1, to a sold-out amphitheater. But you can still win tickets from MLive.com to this and other sold out shows at the venue. Visit www.mlive.com/FMG for details.